Combustion apparatus for gas turbine engines



Dec. 23, 1969 B E 3, 8 ,0

COMBUSTION APPARATUS FOR GAS TURBINE ENGINES Filed Feb. 26, 1968INVENTOR BYAWWQ ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,485,044 COMBUSTIONAPPARATUS FOR GAS TURBINE ENGINES Keith Lambert Barker, Blackburn,England, asslgnor to Joseph Lucas (Industries) Limited, Birmingham,England, a British company Filed Feb. 26, 1968, Ser. No. 708,364 Int.Cl. F02c ]/00, 3/00; F02g 3/00 US. Cl. 6039.65 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE This invention has for its object to provide combustionapparatus, for gas turbine engines, in a convenient form.

The present invention resided in combustion apparatus for a gas turbineengine comprising an annular air jacket having inner and outer wallsdefining an inlet and an outlet at the upstream and downstream endsrespectively, an annular flame tube having inner and outer walls spacedfrom those of the air jacket the flame tube walls also defining an inletand an outlet at the upstream and downstream ends respectively, a wallseparating the flame tube into two zones in one of which combustion isintended to take place, and with the second of which the flame tubeoutlet communicates, the flame tube inlet being divided into two sets ofalternating openings alfording communication with the two zonesrespectively, and further openings near the upstream end of the flametube and aflording communication between the two zones for the escape ofthe products of combustion from the combustion zone to the second zone,the further openings being longitudinally aligned with the inletopenings into said second zone, there being means for introducing fuelto be burnt into the combustion zone.

An example of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawingsin which FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of combinationapparatus constructed in accordance with the invention, and FIGURE 2 isa transverse cross-sectional view on the line 11-11 in FIGURE 1.

In the example shown there is provided combustion apparatus for a gasturbine engine comprising an annular air jacket having inner and outerwalls 10, 11 Within which is disposed in spaced relation to the airjacket walls an annular flame tube also having inner and outer walls 12,13. At one end, referred to as the upstream end, the inner and outer airjacket walls converge to form an inlet 14 from a compressor (not shown)and at the downstream end is defined an outlet. The flame tubedownstream end has an outlet 15 within the air jacket outlet, to aturbine (not shown).

The flame tube is divided into inner and outer zones in- 3,485,044Patented Dec. 23, 1969 "ice dicated by numerals 16 and 17 respectively,and the upstream end of the flame tube has alternating openings 18, 19(see FIGURE 2) for entry of air from the inlet 14 of the air jacket tothe two zones 16 and 17 respectively, there being outwardly extendingdeflector plates 20 in the openings 19 leading to the outer zone 17.Disposed in the openings 18 leading to the inner zone 16 are respectivefuel burner nozzles 21 and each of the openings 18 has side panels 22 totend to separate the stream of air entering the zone 16 and thoseleaving this zone through further radially outwardly presented openings23 in the wall 24 separating the two flame tube zones 16, 17, theopenings 23 being respectively aligned lengthwise of the flame tube withthe openings 19.

In use, primary air and liquid fuel enter the zone 16, in whichcombustion takes place, through the openings 18 and between the panels22. Within the zone 16, the mixture tends to follow a generally toroidalpath as combustion takes place. The products of combustion leave thezone 16 through the openings 23 and in doings so they are mixed withdilution air entering through the openings 19 and finally the mixture ofthe products of combustion and dilution air leave the flame tube throughthe outlet 15. As illustrated there is, extending into the zone 16, andsecured to the inner flame tube wall 12, a deflector plate 25 which ispositioned to modify the flow of gasses through the zone 16 to-tend toform two toroidal flow patterns within the zone.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure my Letters Patent is:

1. Combustion apparatus for a gas turbine engine comprising an annularair jacket having inner and outer walls defining an inlet and an outletat the upstream and downstream ends respectively, an annular flame tubehaving inner and outer walls spaced from those of the air jacket, theflame tube wall also defining an inlet and an outlet at the upstream anddownstream ends respectively, a wall separating the flame tube into twozones, in one of which combustion is intended to take place, and withthe second of which the flame tube outlet communicates, the flame tubeinlet being divided into two sets of alternating openings affordingcommunication with the two zones respectively, and further openings nearthe upstream end of the flame tube and affording communication betweenthe two zones for the escape of the products of combustion from thecombustion zone to the second zone, the further openings beinglongitudinally aligned with the inlet openings into said second zone,means for introducing fuel to be burnt into the combustion zone, and adeflector in the combustion zone so positioned as to produce twotoroidal flows of gases within said zone.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,809,493 10/1957 Pavlecka6039.36 3,055,179 9/1962 Lefebvre 6039.65 3,203,180 8/1965 Price 6039.743,290,880 12/1966 Poyser 603936 MARK M. NEWMAN, Primary Examiner DOUGLASHART, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

